I'm always looking for more books about zoos - there are plenty of books about animals, but hardly any about zoos! This book absolutely fills that need.

What is it like for animals at the zoo behind the scenes? Where do they come from? How do zookeepers take care of them? This introduction walks readers through the behind-the-scenes of a zoo, explaining about captive-bred and rescued animals, how keepers care for their charges, offer enrichment, handle medical issues, and train animals for their own health and the public's education.

Throughout the narrative, photographs of animals, their keepers, and the zoo surrounding are included with most labeled with species and/or name of the animal. Readers will not only learn how keepers feed, care for, and stimulate giraffes, they'll also learn how their neck vertebrae are organized. How have zoos helped the Galapagos tortoise? How do zoos teach animals to live in a natural habitat? Can endangered animals be saved by zoos? These and more questions are touched on throughout the book.

Although it's in picture book format, the layout is large chunks of fairly complex text, broken up by photographs. I'll be putting this in juvenile nonfiction despite the size, since it's really not a read-aloud. It would also pair very well with Zoology for kids, which offers career advice for many of the jobs mentioned in this book.

Verdict: Sure to fly off the shelves, this nonfiction book will fill a gap in library collections for third grade and up animal lovers, especially if there is a zoo in/near your community. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781454930891; Published November 2018 by Sterling; Borrowed from another library in my consortium